Somewhere I Belong
by Dolphin-san
Summary: There's new crew aboard the SSV Normandy and Garrus Vakarian has no problem working alongside humans. But there's one who just gets under his skin. GarrusXOC I still suck at summarys.
1. Chapter 1

Dolphin-san: Hey everyone! Not too sure how good this is going to be. It's my first attempt at a Mass Effect story so please be gentle.

Chapter One

"Just one more I need to find, Garrus."

Commander Shepard's voice carried over the usual Citadel hubbub, as citizens and commuters alike wearily made their ways home. The artificial light shining down from the roof of the presidium, however, sometimes made you unaware of how late the hour was. Garrus glanced at the time stamp on his Omni-tool. 22:17. He sighed as he followed Shepard up yet another flight of stairs.

"Remind me again why we need to do this in person? Surely the Council can just send for these people and they'll come to us." Garrus' two-toned voice sounded as tired as he looked. Shepard turned to look at his best friend.

"Well they could, but I prefer to meet new crew mates face to face first. It would be really awkward if they came on to my ship, I didn't notice them for a while and then find out what an ass they are." The Turian smirked at this. "Meeting them gives me a chance to get to know them a little, and for them to know me. Besides, this is really just like, well, an interview if you like. I don't need to take this one, or the next. It's entirely my choice, that's why the Council didn't just send them to me. At least the one's I've already brought on board are alright, because if you're tired of it already, you should have seen the list of people the Council wanted me to talk to. Three pages long, and that was for each position."

Shepard laughed at Garrus' horrified face.

"But you only need to find a new cook now, right?" Garrus rolled his eyes. "Well that shouldn't be too hard, should it? Just need to find someone who can cook levo- and dextro-amino safe food. It'll be like, what is it you humans say? 'Finding a needle in a stack of straw'?"

"It's 'haystack', Garrus."

"Whatever. Still, I suppose I should be grateful as long as we get someone who knows what myself and Tali can actually eat, instead of one who depends on us to find it ourselves."

They rounded a corner, narrowly avoiding a collision with the legs of a Hanar, and into view came the storefront of a small café. It looked as though the shopkeepers were closing up. The younger of the two women was stacking boxes of some type of vegetable Shepard didn't recognise, while the older one was typing at a workstation. The description the Council's notes had given him of the chef was quite vague; merely listing that the woman he was looking for was human, dark haired, was highly skilled and worked in this café. Hoping that he was right, Shepard walked over to the older of the two and held out his hand.

"Hi there. Are you Ahlenso Mullen?"

The woman smiled at him, leaning forward to rest her arms on the desk between them. There was no way of denying that she was flirting with him.

"That depends entirely on why you're looking for her," she purred.

"Better watch yourself, Commander. Don't want to get into any trouble with Tali now, do you?" Garrus asked innocently. His eyes wandered over to the other girl, still focused on her task. She didn't think he'd noticed, but he had. That brief pause when her name was spoken.

"We're currently looking for a few new crew mates aboard my ship. The Council have recommended Ahlenso as a top chef with skills in cross-species cuisine." Shepard looked a little sheepish as he continued. "They just didn't provide me with a picture. You still haven't told me if you are her or not, by the way," he said, frowning.

The brunette in front of him smiled, showing off pearly white teeth. Shepard noticed one had a tiny diamond in it. Her staring was starting to annoy him a little bit. He was sure he felt eyes on his back too, just without the same kind of intensity as those on his front.

"Well, you say you're looking for a chef. One that works here. I'm the head chef of this establishment. I could be the one you're looking for." She leaned forward more, so that her cleavage was more prominent.

"Susan, would you please stop flashing your body about and get back to work? If you want this place to open next week you need to put in that order for those panshii roots and the otana sauce needs refilled as well."

Shepard turned to face the young girl he had walked past. She was still holding one of the boxes and was watching the other woman with something close to distain. The woman behind him, Susan, sighed, straightened up and turned back to her computer terminal.

"Panshii root is quite a delicacy on Palaven, you know," Garrus said to the young girl. He took in her appearance. She had black hair, the kind that shone blue in the light. She wore a long green apron over her jeans and plain white T-shirt. Her eyes, he noticed as she turned to face him, were piercing green. He suspected that she could be an apprentice of the chef.

"I know that. I also know that when prepared with certain spices, the chemical composure is slightly altered and can be eaten by any species." Garrus and Shepard stared at her. "I'm Ahlenso Mullen."

"You?" Shepard asked. "But you're so young. When the Council said you were experienced I thought you'd be, well, a little older." He knew that his cheeks had coloured slightly at being caught out.

"Experience doesn't mean age, you know. You just need to look at my boss to realise that," Ahlenso added in an undertone. Garrus, standing close enough to hear, had to cover his mouth to hide his smirk.

"Sorry. Anyway, like I said, I'm looking for a few new crewmates. I'm-"

"I know who you are, Commander Shepard. You get mentioned in the Academy textbooks quite a lot. And as for the cross-species cuisine, the Council was right. You won't find anyone better at creating meals that can be eaten by everyone. And anyone else who can has probably either learnt it from me or read one of my books."

"So why are you working here? For someone instead of opening your own place?" Garrus asked. Ahlenso shrugged.

"It just seemed easier. Since the battle against the Reapers ended and the Citadel was moved back in place, I just. . . didn't know what to do with myself really. I'd served my time in the marines, and I didn't have anywhere else to go. Then the Turian Councillor came to me with a proposition. He had heard that before I'd joined the marines I was a chef, one who had travelled around a lot and had bothered to learn things about the food of other species, unlike most of the other human's in the catering business. He had even read one of my books on the differences of levo- and amino-based foods and how with even only slight changes in their chemical structure with the addition of certain spices or special preparation they can become safe for those who would otherwise suffer a severe allergic reaction to the food."

"Well I can definitely see why you were at the top of the Council's list for my new chef," Shepard said, smiling. "There are a few members of my crew that have 'special dietary needs', and you seem to know what you're talking about." Ahlenso rolled her eyes slightly. She had seen how her words had gone over the head of the Commander. "Would you be interested in joining my crew? The Council and Alliance Navy have assigned us to do some deep space research." Shepard glanced sideways at the girl behind him. Ahlenso knew that she was listening to every word the Commander said, and that he was being smart for not mentioning more in front of her. "If you want any additional details, we could talk about them on board. That is, if you decided to join us."

Ahlenso was quiet for a minute. Her hand reached up and gently touched the thin rope that hung loosely round her neck and disappeared into her T-shirt. _A necklace_, Garrus thought to himself. She brought her eyes back up to meet Shepard's.

"Alright, Commander, I'll join you. Susan," she began addressing the other girl, "I've left you a list of ingredients and condiments that you still need to buy. All the recipes have been added to your list as well. You should find them easy to follow. And your accounts are up to date now, though I seriously suggest you get someone to take a look at them from now on. You were wasting so much money before. It's been good working here, and I hope you don't have a hard time replacing me." She said this with a smile.

Susan smiled back. "Of course it's going to be hard. You volunteered your free time to work here. Anyone else is going to expect to be paid."

Shepard and Garrus watched as the two girls shared a hug and, with an air of formality, Ahlenso handed the apron over to Susan. She looked over to Shepard as Ahlenso went to get her coat and bag from the back room. All former flirtation was gone from the serious face he was now presented with.

"You had better take care of her, Commander. That girl has dealt with enough already." Having said her piece, she went back to work with only a passing wave as Ahlenso walked out the door followed by the two men.

Dolphin-san: So what did you all think? This first chapter was more about introducing the character Ahlenso than anything else, but there's plenty of story brewing up in my head still to come! Well, review please. I'd like to know if anyone thinks I should continue.


	2. Chapter 2

Dolphin-san: Hello again! Thanks to everyone who reviewed my first chapter, and I hope you lie this one just as much. Oh and to answer a little question, this is after the events of Mass Effect three. And no, I did _not_ agree with the last fifteen minutes of the damn game, so this is slight AU. The Reapers were destroyed, Mass Effect relays were not destroyed, Shepard didn't die and, most importantly, Joker did not flee a combat zone and strand the rest of the crew in some backwards ass part of the galaxy. So that's all of the AU there is, the rest sticks with the game play through the games where ever it gets referred back to. Enjoy xx.

Chapter 2

Garrus walked along the corridors of the Normandy, his feet automatically taking him from the main battery to the galley. It had only been a week but the new crew seemed to be settling in nicely. He nodded a greeting to those he passed but the long day was beginning to take its toll. His eyes slid shut as he stood in the elevator, allowing him a few seconds of rest before snapping open as the door alarm pinged. Stepping out into the ship's new dining area, Garrus noticed Tali leaning against the counter between the tables and the kitchen talking to Ahlenso. He was just contemplating waiting till they finished when Tali waved him over.

"Hey Garrus. We were just talking about how to convince Shepard to use one of the cargo bays as a growing chamber," Tali told him as he came closer. He could tell from her tone of voice that she was happy with this idea. _Maybe it reminds her of the Flotilla_, Garrus thought.

"I did say that if he doesn't allow it then I can simply freeze most fresh vegetables and fruits, but there's some that that won't be possible for." Ahlenso looked over to Garrus. "Actually, a lot of the fresh foods on Palaven don't freeze very well, and while they are still edible, I can't justify using them. I think the cold temperature ruins their taste and I want to be able to provide the crew with the best quality of meals."

"Wow. I've never met a human who would notice that about our food." Garrus paused. "Actually, I've never met a human who would _eat_ our food."

"Well, not everyone knows how to make it safe to eat," Tali said. "I think it's great that you took the time to learn, Ahlenso. You know, there's a lot of people in the galaxy that treat Quarian's with suspicion, and I always think that if they just took the time to get to know us, we'd get along fine," her voice trailed off into silence. Garrus moved to comfort her, but was beaten to it.

"All that matters Tali is that we know you, and we know you're people." Ahlenso put her hands on Tali's shoulders. "And while you're on this ship, you know you're not alone." She smiled at the masked face before her.

"I know. Well, I'd better get some rest. I need to be up early to oversee a tech update on the main engine." With a small wave Tali left, heading for the crew quarters. Garrus leaned heavily on the counter, letting himself sag lifelessly onto a seat.

"You look exhausted, Garrus. Will you even be able to stay awake long enough to eat?" Garrus noted the joking tone in her voice and didn't open his eyes. Instead he let his head slide off his arm onto the counter-top.

"I know I should eat something, but I'd really rather just head to my room." He sighed. "Although I might not even make it that far." The sound of chopping and pans being lifted onto a hob drifted over to him.

Garrus cracked one eye open a fraction. Ahlenso stood with her back to him, working quickly. _She always seems so confident when she's cooking_, he thought. He watched as she tossed some shredded vegetables in oil then flash fried them before adding noodles. She stirred it together and added some seasoning before turning it into a bowl, which she placed in front of Garrus.

"It'll at least give you the energy to get back to your bed," she said with a little smile as Garrus picked up a fork. "It's alright for you to eat, don't worry."

He had to stop the moan as the hot food filled his empty stomach, it would have just embarrassed him, and he finished the meal quickly. As Ahlenso took the empty bowl from him, he smiled at her. The small gesture made her pause.

"What?" he asked.

"It's just I don't think you've ever smiled at me yet," Ahlenso told him as she turned to load the bowl and pans into the washer. "You normally just come in, get something to eat, sometimes we talk but you've _never_ smiled."

Garrus felt a shock go through him. He couldn't believe he'd never shown even that small courtesy to the person who made his meals. "I'm-"

"I think it's just that you've been so busy with work." She smiled at him. "Don't worry, I've not been offended by it, it's just that it was. . . nice to see you smile." Ahlenso was sure that, if a Turian could blush, Garrus' face would be on fire.

He looked up at her. She was leaning on the counter as well, her face cradled in one hand. She'd closed her eyes. Even under the artificial light on the ship, her long hair gleamed blue. Garrus noticed, at close range, that she had light freckles covering her nose and cheeks. If he had to hazard a guess at her height, she would be about five foot eight. He had to stop himself from thinking about her waist; his experience with females of other species told him that they don't exactly appreciate it. As she opened her eyes again Garrus noticed the tiny flecks of brown mixed in with the green.

"And you said I looked exhausted," he said as she yawned. "You were in here working already when I came up this morning. That was at seven."

Ahlenso raised an eyebrow. "My work isn't exactly as taxing as yours. Besides, I'm normally an early riser. I always had to be up to make sure my little brother got to school." Her hand went to the necklace again. Garrus noticed that though it seemed to have a pendant on it, she was always careful not to let it show.

"Wasn't that your parent's job?"

Ahlenso looked down at the counter top. Garrus could feel sadness radiating off her in waves.

"Look, I'm sorry if me bringing them up is painful for you," he said, lowering his voice. "You don't have to tell me anything, I just didn't think before I spoke."

"No, it's okay." A sad smile came onto her face as she looked back up to meet his eyes. "Someone should know. I've heard people say how talking about it can make you feel better, it helps you move past it." She stopped.

Garrus looked behind him. The few people that had been there when he arrived had made their way down to their own cabins. They were alone in the room.

"Do you want to sit at a table to talk? You've been on your feet all day."

They moved over to one of the tables, Ahlenso paused to get some drinks. Garrus waited patiently for her to start.

"I was six when my brother was born. It was one of the happiest days of my life because it meant that I was a big sister, that I had someone to look after, be a role model to. My father had been one of those men who was never really happy that he'd had a girl, and my mother wasn't very interested in anything that didn't have something to do with her military career, so I was usually ignored." She paused. "That sounds terrible. Don't get me wrong, I never wanted for anything. And I was quiet happy when I got sent off to school. But when my little brother came along. . . I saw it as an opportunity to act like, well, a real family.

"Of course when I was at school, my parents had a nanny look after him. He was always happy whenever I came home. I doted on him. Sometimes I thought that it was impossible to love someone so much, but I realised _that's_ what family is about. Unconditional love for one another. When I thought that I knew that, no matter how they may be seen to act, our parents loved us, too.

"They died when I was fourteen, during the Skyllian Blitz. Shot during the first wave of attack. Suddenly it was just me and my brother, and even though we mourned for them, we were happy because we still had each other. I decided that we should move then. We travelled around a lot, never really staying in one place for too long, and we learnt everything we could about whichever culture we were then a part of. You should have seen how much he flourished. He was like a sponge, whatever he learnt he just soaked it up. It was because of the traveling that I became so interested in the cuisine of different cultures, and the differences between levo- and amino-based foods. I added the task of learning how to cook these foods to my own studies, and not only cook it but find the fresh produce, identify what could be used in a meal, and more importantly begin to test what could be done to them to make the previously dangerous foods safe.

"When we eventually settled in one place, I noticed that what I'd learned had never been written down or even learnt by other humans, or anyone else, so I decided to do it myself. He helped me with it actually. His illustrations were brilliant, almost like looking at the real thing. I made sure to teach him how to cook the meals I wrote about of course, he even helped me when I would go to find fresh ingredients. I don't think I've ever been happier than when I was with my little brother."

Garrus just watched her as she talked. He noticed that her face lit up a little whenever she mentioned her brother. She had a small smile that seemed to always be there, and dimples appeared when the smile spread. He found himself smiling when they appeared. Her voice stayed soft as she reminisced about her parents. Garrus found himself staring at her closed mouth, and realised that she must have finished talking a while ago. He snapped his eyes up but she was still looking at her now empty cup.

"I really miss them," she whispered.

Garrus reached over the table and touched one of her hands.

"They did love you, Ahlenso. Even if they don't show it much, all parents love their children." He paused as she smiled again. He tried to think of something to say that would lighten the mood a little. "So, you sounded very proud of your brother. Is he a chef like you? An artist? What's he doing now?"

Ahlenso met his eyes steadily, the sad smile back in place.

"He's dead."

Dolphin-san: Well, that's another chapter out there for the world to see. Hope you enjoyed it, please R&R!


	3. Chapter 3

Dolphin-san: Hey all. I know that it's taken me ages to update and I'm sorry for making you all wait so long. The writing of this chapter just took me for ever to figure out. I've tried to write from Garrus' POV, so he may seem OOC, sorry about that. Well, hope you enjoy this one.

Chapter Three

Aargh, I wish they could come up with a new alarm sound already. I mean, who the hell wants to hear that when they first wake up? Sighing, I roll over and switch off my alarm. Six a.m. GST. I sit up, resting my arms on my knees and looking at my hands. Before I came to serve on the Normandy I never really dwelt on the severe differences of my physiology to that of a humans, but being practically surrounded by them makes it really obvious. Even Tali looks more like them than I do. When I look at humans I sometimes wonder how they managed to survive their own evolution, they seem so fragile. And soft. Wait, why am I thinking of Ahlenso?

I rub my face and start getting dressed. Sometimes I wish my clothes were a little less cumbersome than they are. Sure they provide a lot of protection, and I'll admit they can be pretty easy to move around in but they're so big. Oh well, I'm not exactly a fashion expert myself so I suppose I shouldn't complain. As I stand to leave my quarters, I glance at the mirror by the door. On impulse I raise my hand to touch the scar there, remembering how I got it. I smile a little and leave my room, heading to get breakfast.

Humming tunelessly to myself, I leave the lift and head to the mess hall. I've a good day ahead of me, fairly quiet. The main guns need re-calibrated and I'm going to try and see if I can't find a way to get some more power to our fore shields. I walk into the hall, moving quietly around the few crew members that are here, though they all still seem half asleep. Looking up I notice Ahlenso working already behind the counter with her back to the door. She must be getting something ready for lunch.

I'm not sure what to make of her at the moment. Ever since we talked about her family, she's seemed a little distant. She won't really look me in the eye anymore. Of course I can understand why. That was a few weeks ago now. Since then, we've not really talked at all, but then, we've both been busy. She and Tali really ran with the idea for the creation of a hydroponics bay for the growth of fresh fruits and vegetables, and since Shepard gave them the go ahead they've been working on setting it up. They've basically taken over one of the less used cargo bays on the lower decks, but so far they have nothing to actually grow there.

Choosing not to disturb Ahlenso, I go to the counter where she has set up various dishes of breakfast foods for those who want to get it themselves rather than wait. I take my plate back to my table and start eating. I must admit, I've never met a non-Turian who can cook Turian food as well as she can. I've even eaten at restaurants that had poorer quality food than she can prepare.

Finishing, I leave my plate at the counter and head over to the main battery. Halfway there, I receive a call from Shepard over the comms.

"Garrus, can you come to the main deck? I need to talk to you."

"Yes, Shepard, on my way."

Sighing I take a detour that takes me to the main deck. I spot Shepard talking to Joker at the helm. I come to a stop a little behind them and Shepard turns to me.

"Joker says that EDI has located a viable planet that can sustain life."

He smiles as he says this, and I can't help but wonder why he's telling me.

"A few weeks ago when Tali and Ahlenso came to me to ask about that hydro...thing bay they wanted to set up, Ahlenso told me that she would need growing plants to be able to make this work. Since then I've had EDI scanning nearby space for any planets that could sustain the types of plants that she needs. And she's just found one, fifty thousand miles and closing."

I look from Shepard to Joker, still confused.

"So why are you telling me this? Surely Ahlenso would prefer to know."

"I've already let her know. She's apparently getting a lunch ready so that she can go down to the planet's surface without worrying about feeding us. The reason I'm telling you about it is because I want you to go down with her. I don't know what's down there and I don't want anyone getting hurt."

I stare at him. He seriously wants me to...to...babysit?

"Shepard I understand you don't want anyone to be harmed, but I really don't see any need for me to have to go with her. I have my own work to get done on the ship; can't you send someone else down with her?"

Shepard looks at me, the smile dropping from his face. He takes my arm and leads me away from Joker a little. He lowers his voice when he speaks to next.

"To tell the truth, Ahlenso didn't seem to want an escort. I'm the one making her have one. I don't know if she can handle herself if she gets attacked. I know she's ex-military, but I would feel more confident about this if I knew you were with her. I know you, Garrus. You won't let any harm come to either of you. Now, it's not that I'm expecting an attack or anything, I just don't want something to go wrong."

I start to object, then close my mouth. I can't explain to Shepard that I feel a little awkward around Ahlenso right now. Not without going into the whole story, and I don't think she'd like her past talked about to people. I glance down and nod slightly.

"Alright then, you can meet her in the Kodiak Drop Shuttle bay at eleven hundred hours. That's when we'll arrive at the planet. I don't think you'll need full gear down there." Shepard grins. "Good luck."

/

At eleven hundred hours precisely I arrived at the bay, kitted out in my armour and armed with a few of my favourite guns. I'd just settled myself against the wall to wait when Ahlenso walked in. Immediately I start to feel a little uncomfortable, and I'm not even sure why. I mean alright, she shared some pretty unsettling parts of her life with me, and it was extremely disconcerting the way she simply stopped talking after she mentioned her brother, but since then she hasn't exactly been cold towards me or anything, she still makes conversation. It's just been slightly strained and I'm not looking forward to any prolonged time alone with her at the moment.

Pushing away from the wall, I take in her appearance. She's still wearing her usual jeans and a close T-shirt. Over it is a short sleeved denim shirt. I notice that she has a small bag strapped around her waist, with a larger back pack on her back, which she's secured with a strap around her chest. Her hair has been tied and pinned back from her face. I watch as she walks over and checks the contents of a few of the containers that are stacked near the shuttle.

"I know that you'd rather be somewhere else right now."

She speaks without turning around to face me. She closes the lid of the container, leaving her hands on the top of the box. I open my mouth to disagree but she cuts across me.

"Thank you for coming with me."

I close my mouth again and take a few steps forward.

"Well we should get going now." She turns towards me, suddenly all business. "I spent some of the morning studying the long range scans of the planet, and it seems like many of the other planets that I've been to that grow the specific plants I'm after. That means there should be a storm around about midday and I want to be on the ground before then. The plants will be at their best just after the rain."

We start to pack the equipment into the ship, and within five minutes we have departed.

/

As we land and start to head towards the mountain ridge that's of to our left, the storm Ahlenso predicted starts to form over our heads. I didn't believe it was coming since it was clear when we were descending through the atmosphere. I take point ahead of her, keeping my eyes peeled for any signs of danger.

"It's safe, Garrus. There were no signs of any dangerous animals or anything on the scans. Just a few small mammals and insects, some fish I think in the rivers as well."

I can hear her sniggering behind me.

"That's no reason for me to drop my guard," I say over my shoulder.

"Fair enough. But unless you want to get completely soaked then I suggest we get a move on. We need to find some kind of shelter to wait out the storm." As she speaks she sets off at a brisk pace, beginning to climb the low hills and climbing over a fallen tree that is in her path.

"If these plants are best gathered after this storm, then why did we leave so early? We could have just waited till the storm was passed then come down to the surface."

"Because," she's walking ahead of me now, keeping up her fast pace and looking around the cliffs ahead for something, "it would take too long to get down here if we waited till the storm passed. There's only a slim window of opportunity with these plants, maybe an hour or so after the rain." She came to a stop. "This way."

No sooner had we set off again than the heavens opened. There wasn't even a gentle fall first, just a sudden downpour. Ahlenso started to jog through the rain and I had to stow my rifle to follow. It wasn't long before I realised that we were heading for a crack in the cliff. Luckily, once we got past the entrance it widened into a small cave.

"This will be fine for now. It doesn't look like this cave is prone to floods so we should be able to wait it out in here."

It's really dark in here. I carefully search the rest of the cave, but it's not very big. Turning, I walk slowly back to where Ahlenso has sat herself next to the entrance and sit down. She keeps looking out of the cave, back towards where we landed.

Water drops from the rain are still clinging to her face and hair. The light coming through the opening is reflecting off of them. I stare at the colours; they seem almost electric, blue, green, and purple. Frowning, I lean forwards to look out at what should have been muted green and browns. I can't help but gasp. The trees, grass, even the bushes and _rocks_ have lit up in the darkness from the clouds.

"It's called bioluminescence. A random mutation in the plants genetic make-up that makes it light up in the dark. Quite fascinating really. I was studying them for a while, but I've not found the exact strand that causes it."

While she spoke, I turned to look at her again. The lights are sparkling in her green eyes, making them even more vivid. Her skin shines like moonlight. She turns towards me and I quickly look away. She smiles at me.

"It's making your marks glow as well."

Without any warning, she reaches towards me and traces one of the marks across my forehead. I close my eyes and shiver at the touch. Luckily, I don't think she noticed. When I open them again she's already looking out of the cave again.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

I'm still looking at her when I reply. "Yeah. Beautiful."

Dolphin-san: Well? What did you all think? Was Garrus just way OOC or was it OK? Review please. Oh and if the layout of my chapters confuse anyone for things like spacing and stuff, you can blame . It's all fine when I type it lol.


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